In most homes having basements, the basements are at least partially subterranean. The basement foundation walls are design to support vertical loads more so than lateral loads from the surrounding earth. As a result, upon exposure to excessive lateral forces, foundation walls often crack, bow, push inward, or even collapse. The forces are associated with expansive soils, hydrostatic pressure, water pooling from downspouts, and/or freezing ground water, foundation settlement, and the like.
The foundation reinforcement systems commonly known in the art are deficient for a variety reasons. For example, wall anchoring systems counteract soil pressure by anchoring walls to stable, undisturbed soil outside the wall, which often requires significant excavation of surrounding earth. Further, given the varying types of soils outside of the wall, such systems are prone to failure. Therefore, a need exists in the art for a reinforcement system that does not require excavation of and/or rely on the use of soil exterior to the wall.
Many indoor foundation reinforcement systems occupy a large amount of interior space. For example, braces extending diagonally from the floor to the foundation wall significantly limit interior space of a room proximate to the foundation wall, often limiting overall function and enjoyment of the room. Therefore, a need exists in the art for a reinforcement system that minimizes the intrusive effect maximizes the interior space proximate to the wall and is aesthetically pleasing. For another example, braces spaced at a predetermined distance can result in localization of lateral loads at a midpoint between two adjacent vertical support members. Therefore, a further need exists in the art for a grid-like reinforcement system that adequately supports all areas of the foundation wall.